Seeing Ghosts
by siriusloverlollipops
Summary: A young girl is burdened with an impossible condition, a souvenier from the Great War of Hogwarts.How will Astoria Greengrass cope with the scars that has been left from the War, on not only herself but others. Scars that help her to love, live and let go


_**Hi Everyone! :) Just wrote this first chapter because I'm stuck at home on crutches. I have been thinking about this particualr storyline for a while now and I just want to know what everyone thinks about it. This is my first Astoria/Draco, yay! So I hope you like it. :) Review please, i'll give everyone imaginary cookies :) :) **_

The war had been over for a year. Though it was just the right amount, everyone still spoke about it, sure, but the wounds – for the most part – had healed. The celebrations had been something to witness. It was an event that no one would ever forget, everyone praised Harry Potter and all those who had helped in the war. Smiles were a common feature at that particular party. Though the smiles faded however as the necessities arrived, the mass burial was held shortly after the war. Tears flowed down cheeks and goodbyes were said by the dozen, flowers covered the ground and broken families held each other.

The girl kneeled on the ground staring at the marble in front of her. How could she not have known? She should have, but she didn't. She had no clue and it gnawed at her, it scratched at her insides. She wiped away angry tears and stood up. She looked around the site; there were twice as many people here then usual. This was probably due to the fact that Hogwarts was re-opening the next day. The seventh years who hadn't finished their schooling due to the war were returning to complete it, making them now eighth years. This also included the 'golden trio.' There was a lot of concern that they wouldn't come as Potter had been offered a junior training position in the Auror department at the ministry of magic. He had denied as he wanted to come back to Hogwarts to 'finish what he started.'

The girl came back to earth and looked at the boy standing next to her. She gave a weak smile and walked away from him, she couldn't look at him.

"Come on Tori, it doesn't matter now." The boy tried to catch up with her, though she was faster than she looked. "You know me now, isn't that all that counts?"

"No, it's not Jai!" Astoria whipped around to face him. She looked around them, when she saw no one, she looked back at him. "You don't get it, do you? I can't get to know you like this! I can't." She started to walk away again but the boy held onto her wrist. She refused to look at him.

"All that matters is that you're here now. And that's all that counts because I need you now, more than ever. I know that this isn't going to be easy for either of us, but we need each other. You know we do." He looked at her pleadingly and let go of her hand when she gave him a soft nod. "Good, now let's go home and help you pack, seventh year at Hogwarts!"

Astoria Greengrass sat in an almost empty compartment on the Hogwarts Express. A book lay out in front of her untouched. Her eyes couldn't seem to focus on anything for two seconds and she could almost burn at the gaze that she was receiving from the boy sitting across from her.

"Jai stop it," she mumbled threateningly, her lips hardly moving an inch. She heard a cough and slight movement from the boy.

"You know you're getting very good at that." Astoria couldn't help but feel a bit of self-pride. "I could barely tell you were talking. My congratulations."

"Shut up." Astoria looked out the window; she saw a great amount of familiar faces. She made eye contact with Harry Potter for a brief moment before she broke the connection and looked back to her book.

Harry Potter couldn't stop thinking about it. The implications that the war had had over people stretched from bad to unbearably excruciating. He had just seen one particular person who fit into the latter. He knew that it would be hard for her to come back to Hogwarts. He didn't know her very well, the closest he had come to getting to talk to her personally was exchanging a few words with her sister. Headmistress McGonagall had confided in him the situation that had gripped this young girl. He gave her his best wishes and all of the good luck he held within him.

"Tori, quick, pretend to be asleep!"

"Jai, do me a favour and shut up!" Astoria had successfully managed to read a quarter of her book since the train left Kings Cross, which was over an hour ago and she couldn't help but be playfully angry at Jai.

"Please, for me?" Jai looked back out of the compartment door.

"Why?" Tori was not in the mood for riddles.

"Because if you don't then the world's most arrogant pig will walk into this compartment any second," Jai said matter-of-factly without looking away from the door.

Tori sighed and obliged, she put her head up against the window and didn't open her eyes until she heard Jai's say so. "Now what was that all about?" She asked once she was 'safe.'

"Draco bloody Malfoy." A growl escaped Jai's lips as Astoria rolled her eyes.

"You know you're going to have to get used to the fact that you're going to see him a lot more than you'd particularly like to, and please don't give me any reason to pouch him in the mouth." Astoria smiled. It faded when Jai scoffed and sat down, he put his head in his hands and rubbed his eyes.

Astoria looked towards the door before acting. She put down her book and moved closer to him, taking his hands in hers. "Look, I know it's going to be hard… very hard. But it'll be ok, besides isn't you who told me that we have each other." He looked into her eyes and smiled.

"Thanks Tori."

"No problem."

Three hours later Tori stood in front of the mirror in her school uniform. She studied herself, something she hadn't done in a while. Her black hair flowed freely down her back and her blue eyes sparkled with mixed feelings. She was feeling excited, nervous and overwhelmed all at once. She was also feeling fear and worry at the thought of someone, anyone finding out her secret. She gave herself a half-hearted reassuring smile before getting off the train, Jai not far behind.

Tori had to do everything from stopping herself to fall asleep during the feast. She was ecstatic at being back in the castle after all this time. The place looked exactly the same and the people were friendlier then ever. It was just that she was so exhausted that her eyelids felt like lead. Jai kept nudging her softly to keep her awake. She looked around after every single nudge to see if anyone had noticed. Thankfully she was surrounded in a cloak of invisibility, or so it seemed. Over on the Slytherin table however, her sister was getting every ounce of attention from her friends. Her sister was the complete opposite to herself, Daphne had short blonde hair and strived for attention. Astoria scoffed just before someone else caught her eye. It was him. Draco Malfoy, someone Astoria had always avoided, even when he and Daphne were going out. It looked like he was trying to figure out where he had seen her from, though Tori had no doubt that he wouldn't remember. She looked away as McGonagall dismissed the Hall. Tori shuddered, she had to do it now, besides, McGonagall had told her, and Astoria really couldn't be bothered defying anyone's orders, even if she hated the thought.

"Come on," she muttered to Jai.

Astoria took a deep breath before entering the Hospital Wing. A few people were there already. The wounds people had received from the war needed regular attention, so Astoria wasn't surprised all that much.

She looked around and found Madame Pomfrey; she coughed slightly to get the healer's attention. Pomfrey looked up and smiled when she saw Astoria, then she smiled to someone over Tori's shoulder. Astoria turned to see McGonagall entering the Wing. They both followed the matron into her office. "Please take a seat, Ms. Greengrass, Headmistress."

Astoria shakily sat down, not liking the Matron's tone of voice.

"Ms. Greengrass, can I take it that Mr. Sampstor is here with us?" The Headmistress asked.

Tori looked over at Jai and nodded.

"We know how difficult it has been for you Ms. Greengrass, though there has been some new developments in the treatment of your particular case." Madame Pomfrey held up a small vile of pale purple liquid. "This potion, they say, will help with… visions and side-affects that may come as a result of them. It is completely up to you, however."

Astoria took this in, looking around the room, her eyes finally resting on the boy in the corner. He gave her a small smile, matched with pleading eyes. She bit her lip and looked back to Professor McGonagall.

"With all due respect Professor, Jai has been with me for over a year now and we need each other. Every one else who has received scars and wounds from the war still have them, I don't want to push this away. He needs me," she smiled at the two women and added. "And in future reference Professor, Madame Pomfrey, I would appreciate it if you not refer to my condition as hallucinations. Jai may be dead but he is as real to me as any of you." With that she excused herself from the room and walked back to the Hufflepuff common room in silence. The soul of a young war victim walking silently next to her.


End file.
